Visitor Information

Past

Visitor Information

The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is one of Edinburgh’s most remarkable buildings – a great red sandstone neo-gothic palace which sits proudly on the city’s skyline. Following a dramatic three-year refurbishment, completed in December 2011, the Gallery now offers 17 changing displays exploring different aspects of the story of Scotland and her people.

Opening hours

Open daily 10am-5pm (6pm for August only). Thursdays until 7pm.

Closed 25 and 26 December and open on 1 January from 12 noon.

Admission is free. A charge may be made for special exhibitions.

Access

York Place closed due to tram works

From 14 July 2012 until the end of 2013, York Place is closed to traffic between North St Andrew Street and Broughton Street. This may affect your journey to the Gallery if you are travelling from Leith or the North east of the city. Queen Street is still accessible via Dundas Street and Howe Street.

During the tram works, all pedestrian access routes to the Gallery are open.

Disabled Access

The Scottish National Portrait Gallery has excellent facilities for disabled visitors. There is wheelchair access to all parts of the Gallery. The main entrance is fully accessible and there is a specially adapted toilet and lift.

Disabled drop-off/pick-up and parking:

Drop off/pick-up is permitted for blue-badge holders at the inset in North St David Street on the West side of the gallery between 0930h and 1600h.

Cars (but not larger vehicles) with blue badges are permitted to park in the back lane as long as they avoid access points and fire exits (which are marked with double yellow lines).

The nearest designated bays for blue badge holders are on West Register Street and St James Place. These are a 5-8 min walk to the Portrait Gallery.

Artlink runs a service enabling people with disabilities resident in Edinburgh and the Lothians to visit arts venues in the city. To register, telephone 0131 229 3555. Please note that there is a waiting list for this service.

The Scottish National Portrait Gallery is a few minutes’ walk from Waverley Station. Take the Princes Street exit, cross the road and walk the short distance through St Andrew Square, turning left onto Queen Street.

By Car

Follow routes for City Centre and City Centre Attractions. There is no car park at the gallery, and very limited on-street parking near the venue. We recommend that you park your car in one of the many City Centre car parks instead.

York Place closed due to tram works

From 14 July 2012 until the end of 2013, York Place is closed to traffic between North St Andrew Street and Broughton Street. This may affect your journey to the Gallery if you are travelling from Leith or the North east of the city. Queen Street is still accessible via Dundas Street and Howe Street.